My ode to joy.

I dunno. The world burns and meanwhile people, are nit picking that others didn’t show enough grief, and soon enough , or often enough , for enough.

Look, if you lose a member your family , your grief WILL be “different” from what I feel for me and mine and if I lose any part of them…
Does that mean you don’t care?

The same applies to “them” and “theirs”.

What if you didn’t know, because You were being kept ignorant by those with vested interests?
“Must” I infer you ignorance to be wilful, or indicative of prejudice?
“Must” I conclude your grief indicates you only care for you and yours?
Does this give anyone license to infer this in strangers or even friends? *

Compassion isn’t a zero sum game, and is quite different AND separate from the personal experience of pain, or expression therein ,or whither healers? Whither social progress? Whither justice?

So let’s STOP tearing ourselves apart with guilt and projected guilt.

As then , we now , are being manipulated by forces larger than ourselves, and it’s only by refusing to comply with them do we beat them, one and all – arm in arm – with one and all.

THIS , from the “Ode To Joy…Europe’s anthem

“Joy, bright spark of divinity,
Daughter of Elysium,
Fire-inspired we tread
Thy sanctuary.
Thy magic power re-unites
All that custom has divided,
All men become brothers
Under the sway of thy gentle wings”

Because we MUST remember the ideal of Europe**or we ALL fall.

Good night dear friends, and good luck.

*ok you might be right, but be careful , identify them, lest you preach to, and alienate , the choir.

**this isn’t “Eurocentric “, just a gentle reminder that so many in the world saw, and still see, Europe as the continent of stability , tolerance, and abundance…risen from terrible catastrophe and an example of what can be achieved with will enough…

You may think I paint idealised picture , but I say to you, it is only painted through the eyes of the masses feeing TO Europe , not FROM her..
Or else why would the forces of darkness seek to tear her apart?

And yes, we could and should parse on sins past visiting conflict present..but isn’t the best atonement , solidarity?